Archives for July 2012

This month’s topic engaging the Garden Designers Roundtable-sculpture in the landscape. Like any form of art, what constitutes sculpture is in the eye of the beholder. An ancient tree, or a specimen espalier can be a sculpture. An uprooted tree stump, a geode, sculpted soil seeded with grass-I am very democratic when it comes to what constitutes sculpture. I truly believe that whatever a passionate gardener chooses to designate as garden sculpture is in fact garden sculpture. The home any gardener makes for a sculpture speaks much to what that sculpture means to them. This particularly imposing bronze sculpture of a bear perched on a beaver’s nest was purchased by a client who loved and appreciated it. The sculpture asked for a landscape to go with. Garden sculpture can be placed wherever, but it needs a home. In this case, a waterfall and pond. A waterfall backdrop comprised of tons of rock. Lots of dwarf evergreens. A raft of old and large tree stumps. A stumpery was a perfect place, a home, for this this sculpture. Sculpture in the landscape needs a carefully and generously designed place to be.

A landscape is a living sculpture. A constantly changing, and evolving sculpture. This sculpture was carved by a person from a natural material-stone. This hand carved stone bust spent a good deal of the past umpteen years underground. The process of bringing it back into the light? A simple placement on a steel pedestal. In a garden. Into an orderly and linear landscape. This astonishing stone sculpture is all the better, presented with the butterburrs, and the boxwood. The landscape company makes for a living experience. Material. Sculptor. garden. experience. A good and on going experience.

This contemporary sculpture involved regrading and grassing a steep slope. At that steepest moment, we amassed a flock of rocks that held the slope. The relationship of the concrete legs, the steel, and that congestion of rocks-engaging. Interesting.

This classical sculpture is set back in a field of groundcover. Garden sculpture can set the mood in a garden. A garden with atmosphere is a lovely garden indeed. A simple space provides breathing room. The figure is integrated into the shade garden under the canopy of an old beech.

There is no need for a garden sculpture to be big, expensive, or otherwise imposing. The only requirement? Great sculpture invites interaction. Reaction. engagement. This very small lead frog organizes a surrounding garden of considerable size. All the color notwithstanding, this diminuitive sculpture organizes one’s experience of this garden. A rich experience-memorable.

There are those containers that I would describe as sculptural. A one of a kind expression. Containers call for a planting that respects that. The containers you choose for your garden-sculptures, each and every one of them. This particular glazed terra cotta container-strikingly textural and of a beautiful color. The blue succulents are similarly textured, but quite contrasting in color. Eaxch element is visually stronger, given the other.

This cast iron dog, one of a pair of bloodhounds forged by Alfred Jacquemart in France in the 19th century, they guard my home. They sit on simple concrete plinths. Kept company by some old picea mucrunulatum, hellebores, hostas, and sweet woodriff, they are firmly planted in my landscape. They have a home that seems natural and fitting to me. No matter the weather or the season, they successfully engage me day after day. How so? They belong here.

Contemporary sculpture asks for lots of space. Contemporary sculpture to my eye is much about striking graphics. Unusual forms. A serious dialogue. Astonishing materials. Room to view, lots of room to appreciate-they ask for this. The placement of this sculpture in the lawn permits physical as well as visual interaction.

These hand made concrete pots with snake detail are very sculptural. The planting? Simple. Contrasting in texture. The care any gardener takes in the presentation and planting of a pot makes a statement about sculpture. The care you take placing and siting a sculpture says much about what that sculpture means to you. Anything in the garden that means much-fuss.

This hand carved limestone gothic portrait, once a part of a wall, is unrelated in period and origin to the old half round plinth. I placed one on top of the other. My client split them up, via a mirrored wall. Her instinct was to separate them, over the existing landscape. Her placement took the appreciation of that sculpture to a level that was unexpected, and exciting.

This sculpture involving urethane spheres studded with plastic grass is placed in an elaborately constructed 19th century French urn. That placement- delightfully unexpected. The attending modern containers with sculpturally styled plantings provide a lot of company to that nervy plastic expression. I can imagine a lot of lively conversation over that sculpture.

Placing sculpture in the landscape is all about providing a really good home. A believable home. A provocative home. A caring home. An unexpected home. A visually challenging home. No gardener places a sculpture in a landscape that does not mean much to them. Should you be a gardener with a sculpture you wish to place in your landscape, be clear about what that sculpture means to you. Make a meaningful and thoughtful place for it, in your landscape. A clear and deliberate placement makes a strong statement.

I invite you to read how other members of the Garden Designers Roundtable approach art and sculpture in the landscape. They are a lively and articulate group of landscape designers.

Our 5th annual Garden Cruise to benefit the Greening of Detroit was yesterday-all day. I was relieved that the sky was overcast, and there was a breeze to go along with those temperatures in the low 90’s. I had gone to the farmer’s market on Saturday-I like to do some cut flowers in my yard, and at the shop. Krystal, from Julie’s Floral, was happy to oblige. I liked the white and green zinnias. Buck was a very good sport-watching me fill his prized stainless steel double boiler with flowers.

The garden was as ready as I could make it. The Garden Cruise used to mean that I would pick up and dispose of every stray maple helicopter, and worry over the lack of bloom in the roses. For the 5th cruise, I was happy to get 85% of the weeds and detritus, and I didn’t worry one bit about the roses. Why should my roses look any different than anyone else’s right now?

The centerpiece for the dining table on the deck-6 bunches of Krystal’s short white snapdragons in a terra cotta bowl. I could not resist the white sweet, and the cippolina onions-they were so beautiful.

My container color scheme at home this year was very different than I have ever done before. Chocolate and silver foliage. Pastel colored flowers. Grey foliaged and brown foliaged begonias, and pepperomia. After I planted, I worried that it would look terribly dispirited or just too moody, but I have decided I like it.

I especially like how it features the color and shapes of my Italian terra cotta. Some pots have no trailers at all. There were more comments than usual this year about the pots. Thinking through the visual relationship between a pot and its plants is an important part of good container design.

I do not plant a lot of flowers in the ground. These two narrow strips on the driveway are enough for me to explore a color and plant scheme. The coleus caught my eye first thing this spring. The feathery juvenile foliage has a great texture, and the color is beautiful. Color Blaze Velvet Mocha is a new proven winners selection. I can attest to the fact that the growth is vigorous, no Japanese beetles have bothered it, and it is well on its way to the advertised height of 24-36″. My color scheme began with this gorgeous orangy brown newcomer.

That tawny chocolate is repeated in the sweet potato vine, and the terra cotta. Adding silver to the mix made for a strong contrast. The 3D osteos feature steely white flowers that have a grey cast to them. They have been no match for this summer’s heat. When cooler weather returns, I will see many more flowers.

The wall and driveway look all the better for this chocolate colored hedge.

I almost never use green foliage, and foliage other than green together, but this I like.

The tour was very well attended-305 gardeners for the tour, and 94 for the reception. I have posted pictures of the reception on the Detroit Garden Works facebook page, should you be interested. I could not be happier about the turnout. We will be able to present a better than 10,000.00 check to the Greening of Detroit.

By later in the afternoon, the heat was starting to get to all of us. Anyone at my garden after 3pm was invited to cool off. I liked seeing my garden put to really good use. To all of you who helped make this event such a success, all my thanks. Will we do a tour in 2013? Absolutely.

Should you be so inclined, you can get up tomorrow, and go. Our fifth annual garden cruise-a tour we sponsor to benefit the Greening of Detroit, starts at 9, and ends at 4:30.

We put on a reception afterwards-a light supper, summer style beverages as in gin and tonics, and French white wine, and the lively company of other garden afficianados.

100% of the proceeds from the sale of the tickets goes to the Greening. That money helps fund their educational and summer employment programs. They have an idea about a better city, and we support that idea. 100%.

All of the 7 landscapes on tour are very different-each the product of a person with a passion for the garden. Each is chock full of interesting moves, and delightful decisions.

It is one of my most favorite days of the garden season. It is the only summer day I am home all day. I like seeing and talking with the people who tour. I like hearing what they have to say about my garden, and I am happy to share anything I know about the plants, or the design.

Afterwards I will join lots of other people at the shop-the seventh garden on our tour-to talk about what everyone has seen. The nicotiana garden in the front is unbelievably beautiful-and fragrant.

Each gardener puts their best foot forward-and their best effort into creating a garden experience. Should you decide to go, I feel confident you will be glad you did.

We will be at the shop at 8 tomorrow morning, for those who want to get up and go. A cruise ticket is 35.00. A ticket with the reception-50.00. We can take your payment info by phone, and email you the ticket. Or you can stop by.

I I have planted many a white annual or perennial garden for a client. White and summer-made for each other. White reflects heat and light. It looks cool and crisp in the hottest weather. Anything white looks freshing. Too sophisticated for sweat. These boxwood spheres got a little dress up from some Lamium White Nancy and white petunias. I am sure there are those who would think the pots and spheres are enough to satisfy, but these white tutus manage to make a little fun of the heat.

I have a few clients that want white, and nothing else, in their containers. This year, I applaud their choice. Though I was perspiring to beat the band when I took this picture, I see no signs of stress in this container. I am sure anyone growing white mandevillea this year will be rewarded with strong growth and lots of flowers. They also seen to do well with a little bit of shade. Keep in mind they bloom on new growth, so feed them. It interests me, how weather can affect our perception of color. In a cooler season, white can look chilly and remote. In a very hot year, white provides relief to the eye.

Nicotiana loves cooler weather. To my surprise, my nicotiana at the shop is blooming profusely in our heat. Maybe how careful we are about providing adequate moisture helps.

Susie’s apple espalier has no problem with the heat. The spring blooms were protected from the April frosts such that she has lots of fruit ripening. The white petunias are thriving. Petunias of all types like heat, and soil kept on the dry side. They certainly seem to be the happiest plants in the container. Unlike a lot of white flowering perennials, white petunias are tough and reliable. I do like white echinacea, but I have yet to ever see a stand of them that could compare to the pink cultivars.

I am frankly surprised at our long run of sunny days. Relentless, this year, the sun. I have yet to photograph most of our spring and early summer projects-glaring and bright sun is not so friendly to taking pictures. But these Sonata cosmos and these white petunias handle the sunny glare of this pool deck with aplomb.

There are a number of great white flowering perennials. My favorite-the Becky shasta daisy. So fresh, so willing-so easy to grow. The white phlox David-very good. White echinacea-beautiful, but not so easy to cultivate. White perennial hibiscus-gorgeous, and easy. Cimicifuga racemosa-the white flowering snakeroot tolerates some shade. There are so many cultivars of white astilbe-all of them shine. The white Japanese Anemone Honorine Jobert is a favorite. I like using white foliage plants in white perennial gardens. Brunnera Jack Frost is a good performer, and will tolerate a fair amount of sun. Variegated Solomon’s Seal is as robust as it is elegant.

There are those plants whose silver foliage could pass for white on a bright and sunny day. The vigorously growing Grey Shield plectranthus, a silver trailing artemesia, 4″ pot starts of a white variegated miscanthus, and variegated licorice are a greenish white.

Garden furniture-there is lots out there from which to choose. This contemporary settee upholstered in white cotton duck makes a big statement about summer white. Devilish to keep clean, furniture with white cushions look great in a garden.

This concrete and gravel sellette made in Paris has an incredibly small planting area. I wouls say 8″ by 8″ by 10″ deep. We planted it with drought resistant, and heat loving white plants. Angelonia-bring on the heat. Trailing white verbena and petunias-ditto. The creeping jenny-my client is a gifted waterer. I suspect she gives the jenny a little more water than the rest. Selectively watering plants in a container can produce stellar results. Very few plants wnat exactly the same conditions.

White house. White doors. I might add the white house and doors are impeccably maintained. White limestone. White impatiens and white variegated ivy in the white glazed pots. This is a refreshingly cool look.

The right hand sellette looks just as good as its companion on the left. The creamy white sticks provide some support to the angelonia. The flowers are all simple and ordinary-the look is smashing.

The nicotiana alata blooming at the shop right now-astonishingly fresh and beautiful-especially the white.

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About the Author

Deborah Silver is a landscape and garden designer whose firm, Deborah Silver and Co Inc, opened its doors in 1986. She opened Detroit Garden Works, a retail store devoted to fine and unusual garden ornament and specialty plants, in 1996. In 2004, she opened the Branch studio, a subsidiary of the landscape company which designs and manufactures garden ornament in a variety of media. Though her formal education is in English literature and biology, she worked as a fine artist in watercolor and pastel from 1972-1983. A job in a nursery, to help support herself as an artist in the early 80’s evolved into a career in landscape and garden design. Her landscape design and installation projects combine a thorough knowledge of horticulture with an artist’s eye for design. Her three companies provide a wide range of products and services to the serious gardener. She has been writing this journal style blog since April of 2009.